The Wemstroms: Don't continue denying climate change

We just finished reading Dan Brown’s new book, “Inferno,” certainly a page-turner (don’t worry, we’re not going to give anything away). Brown does not attribute the quote at the beginning of the book to Dante. The statement is not really accurate; the neutrals are not in “the darkest pla...

Brown does not attribute the quote at the beginning of the book to Dante. The statement is not really accurate; the neutrals are not in “the darkest places in hell.”

However, it is true that Dante had great scorn for those who would not take a stand, for good or even for evil.

As Dante and Virgil enter hell, just inside the gates they hear moaning and lamentation. The neutrals must forever follow a shifting banner.

They are being stung by wasps and at their feet are worms. Although Dante expresses sympathy, even admiration, for some in the lower circles of hell, he does not consider these souls worthy of a second glance.

“We will not speak of them,” says Virgil,” but look and pass on.”

History illustrates the truth of Edmund Burke’s statement, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” In Germany in the 1930s, many citizens knew or guessed at atrocities that were being done and simply looked away.

In Brown’s book one of the characters remembers a Web-tracking study “which revealed that even highly intellectual users displayed an instinctual tendency toward denial. According to the study, the vast majority of university students, after clicking on a depressing article about arctic ice melt or species extinction, would quickly exit that page in favor of something trivial that purged their minds of fear; favorite choices included sports highlights, funny cat videos and celebrity gossip.”

Reading the news today, we all may have a desire to turn to lighter fare. It’s interesting that Brown mentions “arctic ice melt,” although that is not the subject of his book.

Denial that climate change is occurring, or that it’s at least partially caused by humans, is rampant.

Real climate change denial is actually not neutral, but taking a stand.

Conservative billionaires, many associated with the coal or oil industry, have donated almost $120 million to organizations who try to cast doubt on scientific consensus. Environmental activist George Monbiot prefers to reserve the term denial for those attempting to undermine scientific opinion due to financial interests.

Ironically, Dante may have, in some ways, preferred the energy industry deniers. They at least stand for something. But they probably would have been in the fourth circle with the avaricious, or even down in the eighth circle, upside down in fire along with the simonists.

Page 2 of 2 - The real danger is from the general public, from those of us who ignore what’s in front of our eyes and do nothing.

At the scientific recording station on Mauna Loa, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached 400 parts per million (ppm) in May (it’s been increasing at 2 ppm a year in this century).

The global average temperature increased by more than 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the last century, and 2012 was the warmest year on record.

Oceans are warming and becoming more acidic. Ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising.

We cannot let the greed of energy companies and politicians destroy the planet. We cannot turn away because it’s unpleasant to think of making some changes in our lifestyle or demanding responsibility from our elected officials.

We may not be condemned to chase a shifting banner for eternity, but we will be condemning our grandchildren to deal with a planet that’s become unlivable.